YORKSHIRE GIRL ANGE

Hi there, I'm due to have surgery on Dec 7th also in the UK, so we'll be sleeve sisters !!! I'm trying to organise as much as possible, I'm on a 3 week milk based pre-op diet from Nov 17th, so I'll probably not feel much like trudging round amongst the frantic Christmas shoppers from then on ! Sooooo looking forward to this, as yet no nerves at all but I expect that will change as it gets nearer. I live on my own, so it will be a bit of a struggle initially but all my friends are lining up to help post op. I've still got to work out how to bend over and feed my cats without damaging anything LOL !!!! but thats about it, I think I've got most other things covered. Let me know how you're doing, are you nervous or at ease now with your decision ? Best wishes Angela ( UK member )

Hi Christie, wow you really give massive inspiration to those of us who are waiting to sit on the losers bench with you. You look amazing and your weight loss is outstanding, you should be so proud of yourself. I've been following your progress on this site and on your blog and the difference in you in such a short space of time is incredible. I love all the attention to detail and hope to follow your example after I am sleeved on Dec 7th. Keep up the good work Best wishes Angela ( UK member )

Hiya Coops Sorry you're struggling post pneumonia. I've never smoked but I often joke with the patients where I work who have put weight on after stopping smoking that maybe I should start so I can loose some weight ! LOL COPD is a nasty lung disease prevellent in smokers particularly. It stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Hats off to you trying to quit cold turkey. I actually remember my dad doing that years ago after he had a heart attack in his 60s. He was doing really well and went to the doctor with a chest infection one day. The doctor was appalled that he had stopped cold turkey and actually convinced him to start smoking about 5 a day and gradually cut down before stopping. Can you imagine that happening today, the doc would probably get struck off !!! LOL If you do struggle at all, go to your GP and book in for smoking cessation. There are lots of different things they can give to help you, Patches, inhalators, Champix, gum etc. I understand you lucky people in Wales don't pay for prescriptions so its a freebie too ! Loads of our patients have quit using Champix and kept off the ciggies. We even had one man who used it who was on 70 a day ( must be very rich now ! ) who is still not smoking nearly 2 years later. Stay focussed in your Quest by thinking of chasing Mr Williams, you could be his one to one smoking cessation counsellor. Of course you would probably have to move in with him to do the job right, maybe you wouldn't want to do that ? Yeah..... course you wouldn't LOL Keep up the good work Angela

Hi there, I'm Angela joining you from the UK. First of all, please let me tell you that I myself am not a very religious person. I do, however, have great respect for the beliefs and chosen religion of others whatever they my be. Who am I to knock whatever comfort people get from their beliefs. I would like to say, surely if God has given the skills and knowledge to perform this surgery to our doctors it was intended to be used. Why should we not take advantage of the help that they can offer to us ? It is very easy for people who have never had serious weight issues to simplfy it by saying stop eating, if only it was so easy !! They must realise that if that was the case there would be no world wide obesity epidemic. I personally have never smoked, taken drugs or had issues with alcohol. My addiction throughout my life has been food. I do, however, have the sense to know that you can't say to an alcohilic for instance " just stop drinking " and the problem will go away. I see this surgery as an amazing tool that will help me to loose the weight and keep it off, but only if I work hard at it. It has not been an easy decision to make, in fact I would say it is the most difficult decision I have ever made in my life and it has taken almost a year for me to make it. Like yourself, I have lost the same 30lbs over and over again only to see it go back on again. I am lucky to have no co-morbidities at all and I hope this surgery can help me stay that way. I know I am not going to wake up thin after the surgery IF ONLY !!! LOL It has taken nearly 52 years for me to arrive at this weight and it isn't going to magically melt away with the surgery ALTHOUGH WOULDN'T THAT BE WONDERFUL !!! LOL I too am due to have my surgery Dec 7th so we will be sleeve sisters. Keep me posted on how you are progressing pre and post op. I have to start a 3 week milk based diet mid Nov, won't that be fun !! LOL Look forward to hearing from you Best wishes Angela.

Hi Bella, I'm Angela joining you from Yorkshire. Wow you are doing brilliantly, congratulations on your amazing weight loss !! Its so inspiring to hear how well you are doing and in such a short time too. I'm not sleeved yet but I have a provisional date of Dec 7th. I am also having my op on the NHS, although I have no co-morbidities. My PCT follow NICE guidelines and my only condition of being accepted was for me to loose a stone to show my commitment. I'm so looking forward to joining you and our other sleeve brothers and sisters on the loosers bench !!! Keep up the good work Best wishes Angela.

Hi there everyone. I'm Angela joining you from England for my first post. I've been lurking about in the background for quite some time and feel that I know you all well already !!! Well, after a year of "hoop jumping", I've now got a provisional date of Dec 7th for my VSG. I'm feeling every possible emotion, the overwhelming one being excitement for the future. I'm having my op on the NHS. Peffermintchilli, if you're reading this I'm just down the road from you in Dewsbury and having the op in my local hospital. My area comes under Kirklees PCT. I think their conditions for acceptance vary a little from Leeds health authority. I'm so really lucky in that, although I have been very overweight for all my life, I don't have a single co-morbidity. No high bp, diabetes, joint probs or anything I want to say a huge thank you to all of you on this site. Your help and advice have really helped me to arrive at the decision to go ahead with the surgery. Your stories and updates are a real inspiration to anyone considering the op, you can't beat hearing first hand information from those who have gone through it. Love and best wishes to everyone Angela x

Hiya Pip, I'm Angela and I'm still getting the hang of posting, they could be ending up anywhere at the minute LOL! I'm in Yorkshire and also having my op done on the NHS, I've got a provisional date of Dec 7th at my local hospital. I originally had the lapband in mind but, once I started my research, I saw all the things that can go wrong with it I dismissed it and would not consider it now under any circumstances. My surgeon is an upper GI cancer specialist and has been performing gastrectomies on cancer patients for years now so I have every confidence in him.He actually performs VSG privately through the Spire Medical group, so I'm thankful to be able to receive funding for the op. The NHS team who have been helping me since my first appt last November have been brilliant. Every time I've gone to see them I've taken them loads of questions and they've answered all of them for me. Don't be afraid to ask questions. I found it easier to take notes as I thought of them between appts then print them off and to take with me so I didn't forget anything. Do you have contact with an obesity nurse speciallist ? If you do I would give him / her a call and I'm sure you'll have your mind put at ease. If you trawl your way through the posts on this site you will find a wealth of personal experiences and support from all the members who have been there and are now wearing the T shirt !! I have got so much help and reassurance through everyone on here, even though I only posted for the first time last week I have been lurking in the background since March. Let me know how you get on, keep in touch Best wishes Angela

Thanks Maddie. Its good to have the support of people like yourself who have already been through the procedure and to see how brilliant your progress is. Congratulations on your weight loss so far. I'm feeling quite chilled about it all at the moment. This feeling will probably evaporate slowly as I get nearer Dec 7th LOL !!!! Best wishes Angela

Hiya Coops, Oh you poor thing, you have been through the mangle haven't you. I hope you're up and about and feeling better soon. Thanks a lot for the info re post op. I'm going to have a go at doing the pre-op diet this weekend. Just want to get an idea of what it will be like ! I must be one of the most laid back people going, but the dietitian told me I might get a bit cranky while on the diet so that will be a laugh! They won't know whats hit them at work! I haven't told my work colleagues yet, thought I'd leave it until just before op. Its been a work of art keeping it a secret from them for the past year as I work for my own GP. Managed to field all letters sent from hospital re op. Almost came unstuck last week when pre-op phoned to say they forgot to do a blood test and I needed to go back. Re Mr Robert Peter Williams. How very dare you stalk him, I saw him first LOL!!!!!!!!!! How dare he get married ( even though I'm nearly old enough to be his mum ) we may have to form an alliance to oust Ayda !!! Have you seen him in concert ? I saw him on last Close Encounters tour WOW WOW WOW !!!! is all I can say. Saw Take That last year, desperately watching for news of next years reunion tour. Best wishes Angela x

Hi there. I have to do a 3 week pre-op milk based diet starting from mid November. When I met with my surgeon, I asked him if it would ruin things if I cracked under the strain ( LOL ! ) and had the occasional bit of fish or chicken with it. He said he had no problems with me having some lean protien now and again. THANK GOODNESS !!! I think he sees it as being better than sabotaging it altogether and stuffing in any old rubbish. Hope this helps Best wishes Angela.

Hiya coops, Thank you so much for the welcome. I've been "stalking" lol ! you and the other UK members, hope the cold is now better. I really don't get the NHS variations on who gets funding and who doesn't. I work within the NHS and when I see how much it costs day to day to supply meds for all the co-morbidities my jaw drops ! I know not everyone would opt for surgery, but the cost of it is a drop in the ocean in comparisson. Now for the grilling lol! What type of pre op diet did you follow, if any ? How long post op did it take you to "feel human" again ? Did you have any issues while progressing through the various stages of foods you could tolorate ? Thanks for any help you can offer, it is so much better to hear it first hand from people like yourself. The team I've been working with have been brilliant, but they're all stick thin. The nurse, for instance, is tall and willowy and is about a size 8 ! Best wishes Angela x

Hi there, it was your lucky day when you came accross this site. I have got so much invaluable help from the members on here. I've been lurking about and drinking in all their experiences and advice since March and today was my first post after getting my op date and it all starting to become real. Keep watching the site and you'll receive lots of support and first hand information that you may not get from the healthcare professionals involved in the long road to having the VSG. Which country are you in? Best wishes Angela x

Originally when I asked to be referred for WLS I had the lap band in mind. I have always said I would not consider RNY and thought the band would be best for me. When I started my research and found out about all the horror stories with having the band I kicked that into touch and looked into the VSG. Actually it has been a lot easier than I thought it would be. I had my 1st consultation last November with Dr Raj who cordinates the obesity clinic at Dewsbury District Hospital. I've since only had 3 nurses appts and 2 dietitian appts and 1 appt with consultant Mr White, who will do the procedure, in all. I could have had the op mid October or any time in November but one of my work colleagues is going to be on long term sick and our office would be short staffed. I'm the one who has chosen the Dec 7th date. The only condition put on me by the hospital was to loose 14lbs as a sign of my commitment. I can't fault the support I've been given by the NHS team involved, they've all been great. By the way, my BMI was 48 at the start and there was no question of that effecting the decision. Kirklees PCT do follow the current NICE guidlines. You can find details for the guidelines in a link on the BOSPA website. I think there are 2 PCT areas for Leeds and thier criteria for accepting patients are not yet announced on BOSPA. I'm getting as prepared as I can for the big day and beyond! I'll have to follow a 3 week milk based diet prior to the op, yeuk ! Small sacrifice to make though isn't it. I'm so so grateful for all the help and info I've picked up from the veterans of this site and look forward to becoming one of them ! Good luck with your up and coming appt & keep in touch Angela x